Breaking Wings
by Pyromanic Kittie
Summary: DISCONTINUED Sophie and Shuichi's daughter Sumi is thrown for a loop as she finally finds out about the Demon and Spirit worlds just as a man decides he wants to destroy the Human world. OCs
1. The Introductions

**A/N: MUHAHAHAHA!!!!**

***ahem* The third installment of the Mattie and Sophie series based around Sophie's daughter Sumi and her three friends.**

**it's Finally HERE!!!!**

**Enjoy!!**

**REVIEWS!!!!

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_Chapter One: The Introduction_

"Okay! I'm off!" The lilac haired teen called to the seemingly empty house as she turned to the door and opened it, leaving for school. She hopped down the stairs and patted the back of her short uniform skirt. Her aqua eyes sparkled in the light as she took off towards the corner where her friends waited. "Ohayou!!" She called.

"Uwaa!!!" The tall black haired girl cried as she spotted her friend. "Sumi you cut your hair!!"

Sumi blinked and touched her chin length hair. "It's still long enough for my hair style." She answered with a shrug; that's all she cared about, putting her hair up in the two mini pigtails she always wore.

"You know… I saw this picture the other day that my dad had been hiding away and in it was a girl with bright pink hair and the same style you like to wear Sumi…" The girl with black-blue hair mused as they walked.

"You too Ren?!? I've seen a picture with a pink haired girl floating around in my parents room too!!" The first girl added.

"You're crazy Akina…" The fourth girl in the group sighed as she tossed back her sea green hair. "You're giving me a headache already and we're not even at school yet…"

"Aww but Kaiya I know you have one too!! I've seen it!" Akina answered back as she stuck out her tongue.

Kaiya groaned and opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a loud ringing.

"Looks like we've made it just in time. "Sumi called to her friends as she ran off to her first class. "See you at lunch!!!"

* * *

A soft knock on the back door caught Sophie's attention as she gazed at her computer screen. _'Now who would be knocking on the __**back**__ door…?'_ She mused as she stood and made her way to the door. As she opened the door she gasped. "Hiei…"

The former demon member of the Spirit Detective team stood cloaked in his usual black at the back door. He stared silently at the woman before him.

"Well… Come in." Sophie answered as she moved aside to let him pass; she checked her bun to make sure it was secure and brushed back a few strays. "I wasn't expecting a visit from you…"

"I know." He answered as he gazed around the room; years in the demon world had made him a very cautious man.

"There's nothing here that will attack you Hiei. This home is secure to all threats, both Shuichi and I have made sure of that."

"Tch…" Hiei sneered as he moved to a corner of the room he was in.

Sophie shook her head as she moved to the kitchen to get some tea. "So what has spurred on this visit…?" She asked as she came back in carrying to cups of tea.

"Your daughter has been picked as the new spirit detective and now has been targeted by every demon in the demon world." Hiei looked down at the cup of tea Sophie had placed before him then back at Sophie. "Koenma now needs all the girls before one of them is killed."

Sophie's cup slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor. "My baby…?" She gasped. "We kept her away from the Spirit detectives for this reason! You're supposed to keep the demons away from finding her!!" She cried as she shook him. "How could you let them find her?!"

Hiei snatched Sophie's hands away from his clothing. "There's only so much I can do. Her spiritual powers are immense; they're stronger than Yusuke's when he first started. I can't keep protecting her forever, one day she is going to have to learn about all of this. Her father is a demon for Christ's sake! You can't keep her in the dark!"

Sophie yanked her hands free as she struggled with the knowledge that her daughter's life was now in immediate danger. "What am I suppose to do…?"

"She and the other girls are to meet with Koenma then possibly get sent to Genkai's former home for training." Hiei moved away from the wall and towards the door. "You might want to send her and the others there immediately…" He said over his shoulder as he opened the front door and left.

Sophie watched as the door closed behind her former friend then reached for the phone and dialed a number. "Shuichi…?" She asked as she heard the phone pick up. "It's time…"

* * *

Sumi laughed as she waved at her friends. "See you tomorrow!!" She called as she turned to head home. "Oofff!" She stated as she slammed head long into a man before her. "Oh my god I'm SOO sorry!" She cried as she moved back and bowed. "I totally wasn't paying attention, it's all my fault."

The man moved back then to the side without a single word and continued past her.

Sumi turned and watched him for a moment _'Just for an instant I thought I knew him…'_ She thought as she watched the man in black disappear into the crowd of people. _'Red eyes… I've never seen anyone with such vivid red eyes…'_ She shook her head as she tried to shake away the feeling nagging at the back of her mind that she really did know him.

* * *

"Mom!!! I'm home!!" Sumi called as she pushed open the door. "Dad…?" She questioned as she noticed the red ponytail of her father as he went around the corner. "You're home early from your trip."

Shuichi stopped, came back around and smiled. "I came home to surprise you." He said as he walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "How's my favorite daughter??"

Sumi laughed as she buried her head in her father's chest, she always loved the smell of damp earth that always seemed to follow him wherever he went. "I'm your only daughter dad!"

"Well then. How is my favorite only daughter?" He said with a laugh.

Sumi laughed. "I'm fine dad." She said with a smile.

"Good, good." He answered as he kissed the top of her head. "Now… Would you accompany me into the study?"

Sumi leaned back and blinked, confused. "The study…?" She questioned as she cocked her head to one side. "I'm never allowed in there."

Shuichi just smiled. "Well you are today. You're mother and I want to talk to you about something." He turned and led the way into the one room Sumi had never gone into since they moved into the home.

Her eyes scanned the whole room quickly, taking in everything in a single glance. _'It's that girl!'_ She thought as her eyes caught on two pictures side by side, one of her mother and one of her father with a girl with bright bubble gum pink hair.

"Sumi."

Her mother's voice pulled Sumi's attention away from the photos and turn to both her mother and father.

"Your father and I have something important to tell you…"

Shuichi sat down beside Sophie and took her hand lightly, giving it a quick squeeze.

Sophie smiled briefly at him before turning back to her daughter. "There are things your father and I have kept from you…" She stopped then took a breath. "Your life is about to turn upside down…"


	2. The Truth

**A/N: Chapter two!!!**

**Reviews please

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_Chapter Two: The Truth_

"Ay-ah!" Akina cried into Sumi's ear causing Sumi to yank the cell phone away from her ear. "Can you believe it?!? My father has DEMON blood in him!! I might be part DEMON!!"

"Oh SHUT UP Akina!!" Ren snapped. "I AM part demon! Get over yourself!"

"I don't know what I am…" Kaiya's quiet voice came through the yelling.

Sumi rolled over onto her back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. "That's easy Kaiya, you're Kaiya. Just because both of your parents came from the spirit world doesn't mean you're some crazy ghost or like the grim reaper."

"My mother is the grim reaper…."

All three girls fell silent after hearing what Kaiya had said.

"So does that make you the grim reaper in training?" Sumi asked to break the tension.

It worked. The girls laughed and the mood was broken.

"How long do you think they would have gone without telling us…?" Ren asked.

Sumi rolled over again onto her stomach, staring out her window. "I don't know… From the sound of it my mom didn't want me to know at all… I mean come on, my dad has two souls, one of a human and the other of some famous kitsune thief."

"Well explains why you're so good at stealing things." Akina answered.

"I do not steal. I only borrow."

"Without permission…" Kaiya added.

"Ugh! None of you are on my side!" Sumi mocked sadness.

"Oh come on Sumi, we all know that you're not upset about that." Ren answered.

"Well I guess tomorrow we have to go meet with this Koenma guy…" Kaiya mumbled.

"Hey Kai…" Akina started.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that maybe the guy we're going to meet is your dad…?"

Kaiya snorted. "The ruler of the spirit world is my dad? As if."

"It's possible. Your mom is the grim reaper." Sumi interjected.

They all laughed.

"Well it's late girls. Time to hang up." Sumi said with a yawn. "I'll see ya'll tomorrow!"

"BYE!!" They all replied as they hung up.

Sumi sighed, rolling onto her side before she got up to get ready for bed. _'I guess my world really has turned upside down...'_ She thought as she looked back on the conversation she had just had with her mom and dad.

* * *

"_**I know this is going to come as a shock Sumi but you're not like other girls in your school…" Sophie started as Shuichi ran his thumb over her knuckles in support. "I know your father and I should have told you sooner about everything, but we didn't because I didn't want you growing up in such a dangerous world…"**_

"_**Mom, you're kind of talking in circles. Care to elaborate?" Sumi asked as she cocked her head to one side.**_

"_**What your mother is trying to say is that there are things about you and the world around you that we've kept a secret from you." Shuichi answered instead. "Now honey, I know you're probably going to be mad at us after we tell you, but understand it was in your best interest that we tried to not tell you."**_

"_**Okay…."**_

"_**You're…special…" He stopped for a moment as he struggled for the right words. "You were born with extremely strong spiritual energy due to the fact that your mother and I were part of a secret team called the Spirit Detectives. In fact… Your spiritual powers come from the fact that I'm not a normal human being; in fact your mother isn't exactly a 'normal' human being either."**_

"_**You're kidding right? This is a joke. How would you be anything but 'normal'?" Sumi said as she put quotes around the word normal.**_

_**Sophie looked at her husband. "I guess it would be better for you to show her…"**_

_**Shuichi nodded though he looked quite grim. He stood and closed his eyes as a bright flash of light blinded Sumi.**_

_**As Sumi opened her eyes again to look at where her father had been standing her gaze landed on a taller man with silver hair and gold eyes. "You heave ears… and a tail…" Was all she could say.**_

_**The silver haired man nodded. "Yes I do. My name is Youko Kurama. I'm a fox demon who resides inside your father."**_

_**Sumi's jaw dropped. "So what… Does that make me a half… fox demon then…?"**_

"_**No, your father is fully human. I just reside in him. When I was alive I had been injured and on the brink of death. I looked for a way to survive and entered your father's body long before he was born. I had been planning on killing off his consciousness when I was finally strong enough to do so but I grew to love my human family and so I left him alive. Your uncanny knowledge of plants comes from both him and I since plant-based attacks were my specialty. The spiritual powers you have stem from the fact that Shuichi grew up learning to control both plants and his demonic abilities he gained from having me within him."**_

_**Sumi was nodding along with what he was saying, but hadn't actually said anything herself.**_

"_**Sumi… Honey… Are you listening…?" Sophie asked as she watched her daughter.**_

"_**You keep going on and on about how my father is all about plants and knowing plants and whatnot but that doesn't explain anything about why I understand like everything about technology." Her mouth rambled on before her brain could even catch up and tell her to shut up because there was always the possibility she really didn't want to know how she got that part.**_

"_**That would be from me." Sophie answered as Youko sat down in the chair beside her. "I have always had a large knowledge of robotics. When I was much, much younger I had become the world's youngest hacker. Your knowledge of any type of technology comes from me."**_

_**Sumi nodded again as she absorbed the knowledge she was receiving. She hadn't decided if she believed it but part of her said it made perfect sense. "And what about my friends…? Am I the only one or are they all weird too…?"**_

_**Youko chuckled. "Yes, your friends are 'weird' as you are putting it. Your friend Akina's father is part demon while Ren's father is spiritually aware while her mother is an Ice Maiden. Lastly Kaiya's mother is from the spirit world along with her father, though I have heard she's never met her real father."**_

_**Sumi's eyes widened. "Kaiya's REAL dad is alive…?"**_

"_**Of course he is, where else would he be?"**_

"_**Can she meet him…?"**_

_**Sophie put a hand on Youko's arm before he could answer. "We're not sure honey… But we're not telling you all of this just because… Akina's father use to be the head Spirit Detective along with your father, Ren's father and a friend of theirs, they did missions for the ruler of the spirit world during which they fought in a tournament against demons and humans. While they are all retired now, everyone has been trying to keep you four girls safe from the demon realm and it seems that that is no longer a possibility… So we have all been contacted and have been told to take you, Ren, Akina and Kaiya to the spirit world to become detectives and possibly get training."**_

"_**This isn't a game." Youko stated before Sumi had a chance to say anything. "This is real and this is extremely dangerous. Your father travels all over the world as a botanist so that he can find out what's going on with the other two worlds to keep you safe. He puts his life on the line to protect you, don't think this is going to be something fun for you four, this is going to be your life from now on."**_

_**Sumi nodded nervously. "I understand…"**_

_**Sophie watched her daughter nervously. "I've spoken to an old friend of mine and she is willing to train you to control and even use your spiritual powers as a weapon. After the meeting with the Spirit World ruler I would like you to meet her…"**_

_**Sumi nodded again before she backed up towards the door. "Am I excused…?"**_

_**Sophie and Youko both nodded.**_

"_**Okay…" Sumi murmured as her eye caught the pictures yet again and the nagging feeling began again. "Then I'm going to bed."**_

"_**Good night honey…" Sophie murmured as Sumi left.**_

* * *

Sumi sighed as she crawled into bed. _'It's so much all at once…'_ She surmised as she pulled the covers up. _'But it sort of makes sense…'_ She sighed and closed her eyes, falling into a listless sleep.

The branch outside her window creaked as red eyes peered into the room. A dark figured stood there for a moment watching the young girl toss and turn before it disappeared into the night.


	3. Pushing Fate

**A/N: New Chapter!! Please Enjoy**

**Reviews!

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_Chapter 3: Pushing Fate_

"Hiei…" A male voice muttered in the dark night. "Why are you outside my daughter's bedroom…?"

"You're loosing your touch fox. Getting soft with your new life…" Hiei moved out from the shadow of the tree, kicking a body out before him. "When are you going to accept that they've found you and know about _**her**_?"

Shuichi gazed down at the body of a demon. "How long was it here…?"

"A few weeks. It's been watching her waiting for the right time." Hiei bent down and used the demon's shirt to clean his sword. "You're getting weak…" With that he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Shuichi gazed down at the body again then moved to Sumi's window, she was sleeping soundly; if anything was after her she wouldn't have known until it was too late. He cursed himself for letting things get to where they were now, her life was in danger and he had let her go without knowing of the other worlds around her for so long. As he picked up the body to dispose of it he promised to train her and get her to be aware of her surroundings at all times, he wouldn't loose his child; he couldn't.

* * *

"Uuugggghhhh" Akina groaned as she stretched. "I can't believe we all have to be up so early on our day off!!"

"Oh quit complaining Akina." Sumi answered as she walked up to the group.

"Ayaah!! Sumi what happened to the pigtails?!?" Akina yelped as she ran over to examine Sumi's head.

"I took them out." She answered as Ren and Kaiya walked over to join them. "I saw the pictures you two keep talking about, the girl with the pink hair, and I got this weird feeling, almost like I knew her somehow, and it irked me so I took the pigtails out. Besides, my hair is a little too short for them now anyway."

Ren patted Sumi's arm. "Well whatever that feeling was your hair is always cute."

"Thanks Ren." Sumi answered.

"Don't you think it's weird that we all found out about this stuff all at the same time?" Kaiya mused as she looked around. "And no one is here with us."

"Yeah, it was a little odd but my mother told me that there's a new problem that we need to be aware of." Ren answered. "I guess she stays in contact more than everyone else; she heard that something is causing problems here in the human world that's really dangerous."

"Well what are we suppose to do about it?" Akina questioned.

"You're going to take over where we left off." A voice answered her from behind.

They all turned around. "Dad?" Sumi, Akina and Ren all questioned in unison.

"Hey girls." Yusuke answered with a goofy smile. "Surprised?!?"

"Well duh!" Akina answered for the others. "What are you doing here dad?"

"We're going to take you over to the spirit world so you can meet Koenma and learn about your new job."

"Job…?" Kaiya questioned as she cocked her head to one side.

"yep!" A female voice answered.

"Mom?" Kaiya gawked as Botan stepped out from behind the three men.

"Hi honey!" She smiled as she waved. "Everyone ready?"

The girls nodded as their respective parents moved over to pair up with them.

"Okay!!' Botan cheered as she took Kaiya by the hand. "Through the rift we go!"

"And off to never, never land…" Sumi muttered as she followed her dad's slim back through while he gripped her hand tightly to not be separated.

* * *

Sumi cocked her head as she stared blankly at the teenager sitting in the desk before her. "Hey Kaiya…" She whispered as she leaned over to her friend. "He totally looks like you."

"You've got to be kidding!" Kaiya hissed. "He's like our age!"

"So? Your mother dyes her hair to add grays so she looks like she's aging, why couldn't this teen be your dad? I'll bet he's a helluva lot older than he really looks."

"You're crazy Sumi."

Shuichi reached over and flicked Sumi's ear.

"Ow!" Sumi whined as she turned her gaze to her dad. "What was that for?"

"You should be paying attention." He answered as he crossed his arms again, a small grin pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Bah!" Sumi scoffed at him as she turned back to Koenma. "I still say he's your dad Kaiya…" She muttered as she crossed her arms as well and huffed.

"Well now that you're all here I would like to tell you all something about your father's; each one of them used to work for me."

"So not surprising…" Akina muttered which Yusuke answered back by swatting her on the butt. "Ow!!"

Koenma sighed. "As I was saying… Akina your father used to be a Spirit detective. With the help of Kuwabara, Kurama and another man whose identity I've been told to omit for now, all used to work to try and cull the demons from attacking humans. After their last job at the Dark Tournament the demons have seemed to have gone into hiding, so your parent's retired and started new lives, but now there's a new problem. I've spoken to all of your parents and they all agreed to bring you here to hopefully see if you four will be capable in handling the new situation, all of you have inherited abilities from your parents and we are hoping that they are just as strong as or stronger than theirs."

Sumi raised her head. "So who's supposed to be the group leader…?"

The three other girls all turned to Sumi. "You." They answered in unison.

"What?!? Why me?!?" Sumi cried in shock. "Akina it was _**your **_father who was the spirit detective for Koenma, not mine! _**You**_ should do it!"

"You volunteered by asking the question, so you're it." Akina answered with a smirk.

"You do take the bigger risks out of all of us, I'm sure you could handle it." Ran answered.

"Ugh!" Sumi groaned. "You all suck!" She turned her attention to Koenma. "Fine, I'll do it. Under one condition."

"What's that?"

"Kaiya's mother has to tell her who her father really is."

Everyone around her fell silent as she stared silently at Koenma, she would not be silenced and she would not take no for an answer. She was sure that it was him and she **would **be either proven right or wrong now. _'Kaiya deserves to know who her dad is, even if it's the demanding teenaged ruler of the spirit world.'_ She thought.

"Fine, Botan can tell her in private." Koenma answered finally.

"No." Sumi stated. "Now or I'm not helping. This isn't my mess to clean up it's yours. I'm not taking it on without her knowing this information. She's lived her whole life without knowing and she has every right to know." She knew she was making a huge gamble and the probability that she was going to get in mounds of trouble was definitely a threat but her friend deserved to know.

"Kaiya… Honey…" Botan started nervously. "Your father is… um… well you see… He's…"

"Me." Koenma answered. "I told your mother to keep it a secret from you so that you wouldn't be a target for the people who would love to overthrow me." He turned to Sumi. "I still think it's a bad idea to let you know, but you're already in this mess, might as well just keep adding to it."

Sumi glared at him. "You didn't have to make it sound like you didn't want her at all. You make it sound like a bad thing that she's your daughter. Do you have any idea what she went through growing up? How many people teased her? Called her and her mother names because she had no idea? It makes me sick to hear you say that you 'did this for her'. What a load of crap." Sumi turned to head out of the room. "If that's all I'm leaving, I have another appointment to keep with a Priestess." With that she stalked out of the room.

'_I don't care how much trouble this gets me in, he had no right to make it sound like he never even wanted her.'_ Sumi fumed as she stepped through the portal to the human world. _'I can't believe I'm going to have to work with this man...'_ She huffed and growled as she headed off to meet with her mother's long time friend.

* * *

Veleda turned towards the stairs as she felt the brush of spiritual energy ascending towards her temple. "Welcome…" She called as Sumi walked across the stone path towards her. "Your training begins now…"


	4. Training Days

**A/N: Hah! I knew I would have a new chapter soon!!**

**Enjoy!**

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_Chapter 4: Training Days_

Sweat dripped down Sumi's face as her fatigued body struggled to stay standing.

"Again." Veleda commanded as she stood there placidly staring at the younger girl.

"I… I can't…" Sumi panted.

"There is no 'I can't'. You either do it or you die. The world will not wait for you to catch your breath or pause for a 'time out'. At the point of exhaustion is when the body fights to stay alive. Now…" She moved her arm as streams of murky energy oozed out. "Again…"

The streams of energy shot out and hit Sumi full force causing her to scream and fall to her knees.

"Expel it. Use your own spiritual energy to drive it out of your body. You are in control, you have the power to fight back."

"What is this?!? What are you attacking me with?!? It feels so heavy… I can't move, I can't breathe…"

"Then give in. It will be easier if you just give in. Let it take control of your body, let it do what it wants. It's easier then fighting it back, easier than trying to stay alive. If you just let it, it will consume you and you won't have to worry about anything ever again."

"NO!!!" Sumi cried as bursts on spiritual power pushed out of her body, expelling the dark, dense energy. "I won't let it!!"

Veleda smiled as she called back the murky streams of spiritual pressure. "Get up…"

Sumi struggled to her feet as she gazed at her mentor, sweat coated her skin and her body felt like it was on fire as her breath wheezed and panted.

"Again…"

* * *

"So… How is she doing…?" Sophie questioned as she stared at her sleeping daughter.

"She's learning fast, but she's still relying on her physical and not her spiritual…" Veleda answered. "I recommend sending her to the temple in the mountains for spiritual training and mediation. She needs to become in touch with her inner self, while becoming aware of the second layer in the world around her."

"Is that where you went when you had to…" Sophie stopped. She never truly discussed what had happened so many years ago.

"You have to let go Sophie… It's not healthy to hold onto something like that for this long…"

"My best friend was used as a living doll for some crazy man's idea for Utopia that's a little hard to let go."

"She was freed and sent back to heaven to be at peace."

"At the expense of your body and mind. You have that… that **thing** living inside you now because of what happened."

"I have gained new insight on the other world because of this demon inside me. Without it I would not be able to train your daughter properly."

"Yes but you're in a constant battle with it."

"The mind and body can always be challenged, it is nothing I cannot handle." Veleda placed her hand on Sophie's shoulder. "You cannot keep blaming yourself for what was not under your control. I used that spell because I wanted to, not because you told me to. I knew the risks and I still went through with it. Your friend knew what would happen to her if she continued with the life she was living, she knew that she would die, but she continued pushing forward and if it weren't for that could you honestly say that you would know her today if she hadn't? If she had given up you would have never met her. If she was afraid of dying that man would have been able to use the poltergeist to full control her mind body and spirit. She would have died a true death and I would not have been able to save her. Everything happens for a reason, one does not always have full control over it. Do not keep holding onto it let it go, and once you do everything will be at ease…"

Sophie nodded weakly as she gazed at the Miko. "You were always good at telling people things that would put them at ease."

"I do not lie, I'm only telling you the truth." Veleda turned and moved towards the door. "Think it over, but I do believe that Sumi would benefit from training at the temple…"

"I will. Thank you Veleda."

Veleda nodded then left.

'_I don't know what to do…'_ Sophie thought as she sat down in a chair in the living room. She worried if her daughter would be safe so far away from home. _'I guess I could always make Hiei watch over her…'_ She sighed at the thought; she was always forcing him into helping her. Always making him watch her daughter because she knew he would in the end. Not for the first time she wondered if that silly little dream she had had when she was pregnant with Sumi was true or just that, a silly dream.

* * *

Sumi dragged herself ever closer to school; she had no idea how she was going to survive the day.

"Sumi…?" Ren questioned as she saw her friend. "What happened to you?"

"Training with my mom's friend…" She muttered.

"Jeez. You look like hell." Akina commented as she stood there drinking her smoothie.

"Where's Kaiya…?" Sumi questioned as she looked around.

"She stayed behind to talk to that guy…"

"What guy?"

"You know, her father." Ren answered as she led the way to school.

"Oh… I hope I didn't screw things up with my attitude problem."

"Nope, actually it was kinda funny." Akina answered. "Hey…"

"What?"

"Who's that…?" Akina pointed to someone standing before them.

Sumi turned her head to see Veleda standing by the man she had run into just a few days before. "Veleda…? Why are you here, I thought I wasn't training until after school…"

"Normally, but I have had a talk with your mother and you're coming with me for a few days for some special training…" The Miko answered.

"What?!?" Sumi cried. "No way!! What about school?"

"Your mother has already called and said you are going on vacation for a few days, one of your friends will be taking your homework."

Sumi's head fell in defeat. "Fine…" She muttered as she walked over to Veleda and the stranger. "You win…"

Veleda moved aside to let Sumi pass as the young teen followed the man in black as he led her to a waiting car. "I hope to see all of you girls soon, and hopefully your parents will have trained you at least a bit… Tell Kaiya as well." She bowed her head slightly then joined Sumi at the car.

"Is that…?" Akina asked as she turned to the only other remaining girl.

"I assume that would be Veleda…" Ren answered as she continued to school. "My father says she has great spiritual powers…"

"Do you think she'll be training us as well…? Sumi looks like she's been dragged through hell and back, I don't think I could handle that."

"Well…" Ren turned to her friend as she stopped by her classroom door. "I would assume from what she said that our parents should be teaching us some before we meet up with her… So… possibly. See you after class."

Akina stared at her friend in shock. "Nooo!!!" She wailed. "I don't want training!!!"


	5. The Trials Begin

**A/N: Sorry this has taken so long. I was distracted by many things. So here's the next chapter is Breaking Wings! Enjoy!**

**Veleda, Sumi, Akina, Ren, Sophie, Kaiya, and a few minor characters that will show up later all belong to me, everyone else belongs to the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho

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_Chapter 5: The Trials Begin_

Cold water splashed over Sumi's body as she sat on a rock. The waterfall pounded away at her head, neck and shoulders as she debated over whether it felt really good on her aching muscles or if it hurt and annoyed her. She was arguing with herself when, over the sound of rushing water, came Veleda's voice.

"Concentrate Sumi! Just think about your breathing, the sound and feel of the water around you. Find that place deep inside you where only you can go, where you feel safe. Where you feel at most yourself. That's where you'll find your spiritual powers. That's where you can tap into all of your abilities." Veleda sighed as she stared down the long drop to the girl sitting at the bottom under the raging waterfall. Shaking her head she turned and cocked her head when her eyes locked with Hiei's

"You shouldn't be here…" She murmured as she turned away from the cliff face. "This is not the place to get over your past."

"I'm over it." He muttered as he followed behind her.

"You can lie to yourself all you want if it makes you feel better but I have seen how you stare at the girl. She is not the one you lost, even if they seem similar. Mattie is gone and Sumi cannot take her place." Veleda stopped and faced Hiei. "Do not force such a thing on that poor child. Her destiny is already hard enough without you trying to force her to become Mattie. She is not her nor will she ever be. It's time to let it go."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hiei hissed as he glared at Veleda. "She's just some annoying sixteen year old girl who happens to be the daughter of a friend. If she were anyone else I would have no use for paying any attention to her."

"Yes, but because she is the daughter of your friend and his wife happens to be the best friend of your former love you do nothing but pay attention to her. Do not mix feelings for her and for your past lover; they are separate people."

"They share the same soul. They are the same person."

"They are not the same person even if they share the same soul. They live different lives, they know different people, and they do different things. In fact they have completely different personalities. That girl," she pointed back to the cliff face where, below, Sumi was still meditating, "is not the same girl as the one you knew. And she will **never** be that same girl. Do not mistake them for the same person ever. It will ruin your life, her life, and things that have yet come into play."

Hiei glared at her in silence before he brushed past her, leaving her to stand there in silence. She sighed, shaking her head heavily, knowing that he didn't listen to a word she said, before she walked a ways to the steps that led down to where Sumi was training. If nothing else she would train the girl, she couldn't protect Sumi from her own personally life, those decisions belonged to her and Hiei. All she could do was hope Hiei did not mess up the girl's feelings when so much would be riding on her and her friend's shoulders.

"Have you found that place…?" Veleda asked as she came up to the waterfall.

"I don't even understand what the hell you're talking about, so how am I suppose to find it?" Sumi complained.

Veleda sighed, the girl was more stubborn and closed off than she expected; it surprised her that Sophie and Shuichi had let Sumi be so blind to the other world. "Move Sumi…" She murmured as she waded into the frigid waters. Climbing onto the rock she intertwined her fingers together with her prayer beads and let out a slow breath as the water soaked through her Miko robes. In moments she had entered the place inside she went when she exorcized demons and the resounding flux of energy was so strong that it forced the water back from her body, forming a bubble of free space where the water did not touch any part of her. Opening her eyes she pushed the energy out from her. Tendrils of power rushed past where Sumi stood, brushing against her body.

Sumi gasped and shivered as she felt something touch her. She couldn't see it but it felt alive, like it could hurt her and she wouldn't be able to do anything about it; it frightened her more than she would ever admit.

"What is that?" She called as she moved back a ways.

"That would be my spiritual power." Veleda answered as she let her energy fizzle out until the waterfall was finally crashing down onto her once again. "That was just a display of power. That was nothing compared to what it can really be put to work for." She stepped off the rock to stand near Sumi. "You won't know your true abilities until you fully explore it. It could be you will have powers like your father, or maybe it will be something completely different. We have to train you so that you can find them easily, so that you won't need to get into a meditation state just to access them. In a true life or death fight you won't have that kind of time. Come…" Veleda turned and headed up the stairs. "It is a cold night and you are standing here in wet clothing, let's get you bathed and dressed in something dry then we will discuss what the next steps are."

After dressing in a modified Miko outfit Sumi sat on the floor leaning against a wall. She sighed heavily as she tucked her legs under her and closed her eyes. Tired was not the word she would use, she was exhausted both mentally and physically; she had never been this worn out in her life. Though the warm clothing felt good, it was weird to her to be in priest clothing, let alone ones that had been modified for training. The top was like any other top but the pants had been cut and re-sown as shorts. So while her upper body was modestly covered her legs were completely exposed; it shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did, seeing as her uniform skirt was just as short, but the awkward feeling kept nagging at her when the strange red-eyed man looked at her. Somewhere in her mind there was a voice that told her she knew him, but she couldn't place it. Had he been a friend of her parents? Or was it something else that told her she knew him.

What ever the case was it was difficult to be around him, he made her far more nervous than she could have ever imagined. There was a feeling of danger roiling off of him, as if he were a wild animal that one should not get close to or it might finally attack. She did not like giving him her back and went to great lengths in keeping him from getting behind her, and yet, he still managed to sneak up on her; she didn't like it.

Veleda walked in the room causing Sumi to jump to her feet instantly. Veleda smiled. "It seems part of your instincts have finally begun working. You are your father's child. Come…" She waved her hand, instructing the young girl to follow her. "There's still daylight, so there will be more training."

"But I'm exhausted!" Sumi wailed as she followed unhappily. "How can I continue training if I'm absolutely exhausted?"

"When you are the peak of exhaustion is when you find just how strong you truly are." Veleda answered as she led the girl down the long halls of the temple and out into the forest behind the main building. "I can train you spiritually, but physical training is beyond my capabilities so I have enlisted the help of someone who excels in that area…" She stepped to one side and Sumi could finally see the meadow before them.

Standing a little to one side of the small meadow was the very same man Sumi had begun to distrust more than anyone she had ever know. Her head snapped around to stare in complete disbelief at Veleda, how could the priestess not sense just how deadly this man really was? He would kill Sumi if he had the chance, she was sure of that.

Veleda smiled lightly as she pushed Sumi into the meadow. "His name is Hiei and he has been working for Koenma for many years. He was the fourth member of your father's team. He will train your physical strengths. I hope that training both we will unlock whatever latent powers are hidden inside you. I will return when the sun sets to bring you in for dinner. In the morning your training will begin again." With that she turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving Sumi standing there staring at the man that she wanted nothing to do with.

Hiei stared back in silence before tossing a short katana out to Sumi. "Pick it up…" He growled as he moved to the center of the meadow; when she did he pulled out his own sword and slid into his stance. "Attack me."

"What?" Sumi cried in shock before letting out a girlish scream when Hiei vanished from her sight and reappeared holding his own blade to her throat.

"You don't have time to question your opponent." He hissed in anger before he was back to his original place. "Now… Attack me."


End file.
